A local columnist recently set his intellectual insights on the problem of atheism sweeping this country. An excerpt from his hate column is below. My response to the editor is after fold.

ON THE ECONOMY : A solemn and sad situation

The first danger is the unbeliever himself. He is left with no god but himself, no wisdom but his own (except the wisdom of men ) and no hope of a life beyond this one. Worst of all, he is in danger of facing an eternity devoid of the God he denied. In short, he wanted it that way, and that is the way he got it. A solemn and sad situation.

The second danger is that the atheist may be able to persuade others (I knew of one situation like this where an older man concentrated on young people ) that his unbelief is really true. This might consign those he persuaded to the same fate that is in store for him.

The third danger lies in what kind of person the atheist may become when he becomes his own god. If he does not recognize God, he may not recognize any of the restraints that a belief in God generates. Thus, without restraint, he may become a pedophile, a murderer, a thief, or any other kind of a deviant you can think of. Or he might just become one who lives inward, with no concern for the people or things around him. There are tragic examples of such people.

My Response:

On Saturday September 22nd The NWA Times published an opinion piece by John Terry entitled “ON THE ECONOMY : A solemn and sad situation” in which he suggests that an atheist is likely to become “a pedophile, a murderer, a thief, or any other kind of a deviant you can think of.” It is absurd that such a statement should even have to be addressed but given that it was published in the most highly circulated paper in the region, it demands it. Mr. Terry attempts to wrap his brain the idea of a passionate atheist and then proceeds to give one of the most excellent examples I have ever seen of why so many of us are becoming more vocal.

Atheists are the most reviled group of citizens in this country. A recent study from the University of Minnesota (one of those darned secular universities) found that “Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in “sharing their vision of American society.” Knowing how many Americans feel about Muslims and homosexuals, it is pretty scary to see us ranked below them. It is the casual bigotry of people like Mr. Terry who don’t even have the decency to be ashamed that gets to us. He is the reason we are becoming so passionate.

The fact is, as a group, the percentage of the incarcerated who are atheists is far lower than the percentage of atheists as a whole. America is the most Christian nation in the world and has never been more so. Yet, our economy is crashing around us, poverty and teen pregnancy are on the rise, and we have the largest percentage of citizens imprisoned of any country in the world. And regarding the outrageous claim I quoted to begin this response, I would hope that, as a minister himself, Mr. Terry would remember Matthew 7:3: “”Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

In a society that prides itself on the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech (to say nothing of the freedom of religion so many assume applies only to their own), it is important to remember the responsibility we citizens share in not abusing those rights. Mr. Terry has overstepped the bounds of that responsibility as is also his right. But it saddens and frightens me that an esteemed publication such as the Northwest Arkansas Times would give him a platform from which to spread his hatred.

Dwayne Allen / Bentonville